An Antiques Roadshow guest was left emotional on Sunday night at the staggering value of her grandmother’s pendant.
The BBC show’s jewellery expert Susan Rumfitt was at Belfast’s Botanic Gardens to examine some exquisite pieces and an old photograph brought in by a visitor.
Susan began the valuation with enthusiasm, saying: “Little bit of magic here today. Pearls in the pendant, diamonds in the brooch, and a rather glamorous lady. Tell me about her.”
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The guest then shared the poignant history behind the items: “She’s my grandmother, her name was Irene Picks, and she married my grandfather before the First World War, and he was killed in France at the very, very beginning of the war.
“And after he died, she went to England and married somebody called Robin Buxton and I think he probably gave her these jewels, and then my father gave them to me after my grandmother died.”
Susan remarked on her grandmother’s “very glamourous,” appearance, to which the woman proudly responded that she was a “theatre girl.” Focusing first on the brooch, Susan admired it as a “delicate flower” piece adorned with “gorgeous cut diamonds” that seemed to give it life.
Despite the absence of a signature or hallmark, Susan was convinced it originated from a “good jeweller” also highlighting the intricate engraving along its edge.
Expert Susan was clearly taken with the pendant’s design, noting its age as she said: “Which helps to date it actually to the latter part of the 19th, early 20th Century, it was a very lovely thing to have so absolutely gorgeous.” She then turned her attention to the lavalier pendant, which hailed from a similar era, featuring two unevenly lengthed drops.
Susan continued: “Have you noticed there are some fittings at the back of the drops? Well those fittings enable you to take the drops off and actually wear these drops as earrings as well. So it’s very much a multi-functional pendant, isn’t it? It’s really great.”
Susan speculated on the pendant’s provenance, suggesting that the diamond coronet could indicate a connection to a significant royal event.
Delving into the details, Susan observed: “The period we’re looking at, there were cultured pearls starting to creep into the market, however, these are more than likely going to be natural pearls. They have a beautiful luster to them, they’re slightly different in shape and size which, again, I think is just gorgeous, absolutely wonderful.”
“With natural pearls, of course, it really is an X-ray that’s going to tell us for sure, but I’m very, very confident that these are natural pearls.”
Then, the valuation left the guest speechless as Susan estimated: “We have to talk values. I love the diamond brooch. If that came up at auction, I would expect it to be between £5,000 and £7,000.”
Overwhelmed by the figure, the guest responded in disbelief: “Wow. Right. I wasn’t expecting that. Not at all.”
Susan then revealed: “But then we have the beautiful pendant, it’s absolutely stunning. So, auction estimate, £20,000 to £30,000.”
The audience was audibly shocked, prompting the pensioner to cover her face in disbelief. The audience erupted into applause as the owner fought back tears, uttering: “Oh my God. Wow. Never entered my head.”
Susan warmly concluded: “Two beautiful pieces of jewellery. Thank you very much indeed” as she offered comfort to the tearful guest.
Later, still reeling from the revelation, the guest shared: “It’s just one almighty shock. I just always thought it was a nice pendant, and it’s worth, maybe, not a lot, not a lot, no. It really took my breath away, that’s all I can say. Unbelievable.”
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